# The 11 Best Membership Site Software

> The best membership site software is Mighty Networks, followed by Circle.so and Kajabi.

- URL: https://topelevens.com/membership-software
- Last verified: 2026-06-13
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## Ranking

### #1 Mighty Networks · 9.2/9.4
- Best for: Creators who want to build a vibrant, independent community with integrated courses, content, and events in one place.
- Palo Alto, USA · founded 2017 · $$ ($41 to $299+/mo)
- Mighty Networks ranks first because it offers the most complete suite of native community and content tools, including courses, live streaming, and events, which eliminates the need for third-party plugins.
- Pro: Its 'Spaces' feature provides exceptional flexibility for organizing different types of content and conversations, far surpassing simple forum structures.
- Con: The platform's deep feature set can present a steeper learning curve for absolute beginners compared to simpler alternatives like Podia.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #2 Circle.so · 9.1/9.4
- Best for: Established creators and brands looking to build a premium, modern community space with powerful discussion and live event features.
- New York, USA · founded 2019 · $$ ($49 to $399+/mo)
- Circle.so earns the second spot for its best-in-class community design and user experience, making it the top choice for creators who prioritize a polished, modern feel for their discussions and events.
- Pro: The platform's deep integration with Zapier and its API allows for sophisticated workflows, such as automatically adding members who purchase a product elsewhere.
- Con: While course features have improved, they are less developed than Kajabi's, and the platform lacks native email marketing tools.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #3 Kajabi · 8.8/9.4
- Best for: Serious course creators and infopreneurs who want an all-in-one platform to manage content, marketing funnels, email, and memberships.
- Irvine, USA · founded 2010 · $$$ ($149 to $399+/mo)
- Kajabi is the third-best option, leading the market for creators whose business is centered on online courses and who need powerful, integrated marketing and sales funnel automation.
- Pro: Its 'Pipelines' feature for building automated sales funnels is unmatched by any other platform on this list, directly connecting marketing actions to sales.
- Con: The community feature feels like an add-on, lacking the engagement tools and modern design of Mighty Networks or Circle, and the price point is high for beginners.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #4 MemberPress · 8.6/9.4
- Best for: WordPress users who want maximum control and flexibility to build a custom membership site integrated with the broader WordPress ecosystem.
- South Jordan, USA · founded 2013 · $ ($179 to $399/yr)
- MemberPress is the best choice for creators committed to the WordPress platform, offering the most dependable and feature-rich plugin for content restriction, payments, and integrations.
- Pro: Its content protection rules are extremely granular, allowing creators to restrict access to almost any part of their site, from single pages to custom post types.
- Con: As a plugin, it requires users to manage their own hosting, security, and plugin conflicts, creating a significant technical overhead that hosted platforms avoid.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #5 Podia · 8.3/9.4
- Best for: Beginner creators who need a simple, affordable, and user-friendly platform to sell memberships, courses, and digital downloads.
- New York, USA · founded 2014 · $ ($39 to $89/mo)
- Podia secures its rank by being the most user-friendly and straightforward all-in-one platform, making it the ideal starting point for creators who feel overwhelmed by more complex systems.
- Pro: The platform charges zero transaction fees on its paid plans, which is a significant cost saving for creators compared to platforms that take 5-10% of revenue.
- Con: Its feature set is less advanced than competitors; for example, the community tool is a simple forum and it lacks the marketing automation of Kajabi.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #6 Memberful · 8.1/9.4
- Best for: Creators with an existing website or brand who want to add a clean, reliable membership and payment layer without migrating their entire site.
- Remote · founded 2013 · $ ($0 to $100/mo + fees)
- Memberful is ranked here for being the best solution for adding paid memberships to an existing website, focusing purely on payments and access control while letting you use your preferred tools for content.
- Pro: Its integration with Stripe is exceptionally smooth, and it offers features like Apple Pay and Google Pay, which can increase conversion rates at checkout.
- Con: It is not an all-in-one platform; you must bring your own website, content hosting, and community tools, which adds complexity and potential cost.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #7 Thinkific · 7.9/9.4
- Best for: Educators and businesses focused on creating in-depth online courses who want to add a community or membership model to their offerings.
- Vancouver, Canada · founded 2012 · $$ ($49 to $199/mo)
- Thinkific earns its spot as a leading course-first platform that has added solid membership and community features, making it a great choice for educators expanding their business model.
- Pro: The course builder is among the most flexible on the market, supporting a wide variety of lesson types, assignments, and quizzes.
- Con: The platform's design and customization options for site pages are more limited than competitors like Kajabi, requiring more effort to create a unique brand look.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #8 Uscreen · 7.7/9.4
- Best for: Video creators who want to launch a subscription service (SVOD) with their own branded apps for web, mobile, and TV.
- Washington D.C., USA · founded 2015 · $$$ ($149 to $499+/mo)
- Uscreen is the undisputed leader for video-centric memberships, providing the best infrastructure for video hosting, streaming, and monetization across web and native apps.
- Pro: Its ability to create and launch branded OTT apps for Roku, Apple TV, iOS, and Android is a key differentiator that no other platform on this list offers.
- Con: Community and text-based content tools are very basic, as the platform is almost entirely focused on video. It is also one of the more expensive options.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #9 MemberSpace · 7.5/9.4
- Best for: Creators using non-WordPress website builders like Squarespace, Webflow, or Carrd who need to add membership functionality.
- Remote · founded 2015 · $ ($29 to $299/mo)
- MemberSpace is the best solution for adding membership paywalls to websites built on platforms that lack native membership features, such as Squarespace and Webflow.
- Pro: It works with a wide variety of website builders, making it one of the most platform-agnostic tools available for gating content.
- Con: The member experience can feel disjointed as users are interacting with a third-party tool layered on top of your site, and it offers no native content or community tools.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #10 Wild Apricot · 7.3/9.4
- Best for: Non-profits, clubs, and professional associations that need an all-in-one system for managing members, events, and payments.
- Toronto, Canada · founded 2006 · $$ ($60 to $900/mo)
- Wild Apricot is the best choice for formal organizations like clubs and associations due to its strong focus on member databases, event management, and automated invoicing.
- Pro: Its member database and event management capabilities are specifically designed for the needs of associations, including features like member directories and event registration forms.
- Con: The platform's interface and website builder feel dated compared to modern creator platforms, and it's not well-suited for content-heavy businesses like online courses.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

### #11 [WILDCARD] Ghost · 7.1/9.4
- Best for: Writers and publishers who want to build a membership business around their content with a focus on newsletters and beautiful design.
- Singapore · founded 2013 · $ ($11 to $249/mo)
- Ghost is a wildcard pick because it approaches memberships from a publishing-first perspective, making it the best option for writers who want to monetize a blog or newsletter, not run a forum or course.
- Pro: The writing and publishing experience is clean and focused, and its native email newsletter tools are seamlessly integrated with paid subscription tiers.
- Con: It has no native community features like forums or member profiles, requiring integration with third-party tools for any member-to-member interaction.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-13): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13.

## FAQ

**What is the best software for a membership site?**

The best software for most creators is Mighty Networks, because it provides the strongest combination of built-in community, course, and content features without needing external plugins. For those focused purely on a premium community experience, Circle.so is a close second.

**How much does it cost to run a membership site?**

Running a membership site on a hosted platform typically costs between $40 and $400 per month, plus payment processing fees of around 3%. Using a WordPress plugin can be cheaper initially, around $200-$400 per year for the plugin plus hosting costs, but may require more investment in other plugins or developer help.

**Can I build a membership site on WordPress?**

Yes, you can build a powerful membership site on WordPress using plugins like MemberPress or WishList Member. This approach offers maximum flexibility and data ownership but requires you to manage your own hosting, security, and updates.

**What's the easiest membership platform for beginners?**

Podia is often considered the easiest platform for beginners. Its user interface is clean, straightforward, and combines memberships, courses, and digital downloads in one place with predictable pricing and zero transaction fees on paid plans.